Job 5
1 Give now a cry for help; is there anyone who will give you an answer? and to which of the holy ones will you make your prayer?
Call if you want, but who is going to answer you? Which angel are you going to turn to?
2 For wrath is the cause of death to the foolish, and he who has no wisdom comes to his end through passion.
Surely anger slays the fool and jealousy kills the simple.
3 I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly the curse came on his house.
I have seen a fool growing strong, but I immediately cursed his house.
4 Now his children have no safe place, and they are crushed before the judges, for no one takes up their cause.
His sons are never safe; they are crushed in court with no one to defend them.
5 Their produce is taken by him who has no food, and their grain goes to the poor, and he who is in need of water gets it from their spring.
The hungry eat everything he has harvested, taking even that protected by a thorn hedge, while others look to steal his wealth.
6 For evil does not come out of the dust, or trouble out of the earth;
For evil doesn't come from the dust; neither does trouble grow from the earth.
7 But trouble is man's fate from birth, as the flames go up from the fire.
But human beings are born for trouble just as certainly as sparks from a fire fly upwards.
8 But as for me, I would make my prayer to God, and I would put my cause before him:
If it were me, I would go to God and put my case before him.
9 Who does great things outside our knowledge, wonders without number:
He is the one who does amazing, incredible things; miracles that can't be counted!
10 Who gives rain on the earth, and sends water on the fields:
He gives rain to the earth and sends water to the fields.
11 Lifting up those who are low, and putting the sad in a safe place;
He exalts the humble, and rescues those who mourn.
12 Who makes the designs of the wise go wrong, so that they are unable to give effect to their purposes.
He frustrates the plans of the cunning so that they are unsuccessful.
13 He takes the wise in their secret designs, and the purposes of the twisted are cut off suddenly.
He traps the wise in their own clever thinking, and the schemes of twisted people are cut short.
14 In the daytime it becomes dark for them, and in the sunlight they go feeling about as if it was night.
In the daytime they're in the dark, and they stumble around at noon like it's night.
15 But he keeps safe from their sword those who have no father, and the poor from the power of the strong.
But God is the one who saves from their cutting remarks, and the poor from the actions of the powerful.
16 So the poor man has hope, and the mouth of the evil-doer is stopped.
As a result those who are helpless have hope, and the wicked have to shut their mouths!
17 Truly, that man is happy who has training from the hand of God: so do not let your heart be shut to the teaching of the Ruler of all.
See how happy is the person God corrects—so don't despise the Almighty's discipline.
18 For after his punishment he gives comfort, and after wounding, his hands make you well.
For he causes pain but he provides relief; he wounds but his hands heal.
19 He will keep you safe from six troubles, and in seven no evil will come near you.
He will save you from many disasters; a multitude of evils will not affect you.
20 When there is need of food he will keep you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.
In times of famine he will rescue you from death, and in times of war he will save you from the power of the sword.
21 He will keep you safe from the evil tongue; and you will have no fear of wasting when it comes.
You will be protected from sharp-tongued slander; and when violence comes you will not be afraid.
22 You will make sport of destruction and need, and will have no fear of the beasts of the earth.
You will laugh at violence and famine; you won't be afraid of wild animals—
23 For you will be in agreement with the stones of the earth, and the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.
for you will be at peace with the stones of the field and the wild animals will be at peace with you.
24 And you will be certain that your tent is at peace, and after looking over your property you will see that nothing is gone.
You will be certain that your home is safe, for you will go to where you live and find nothing missing.
25 You will be certain that your seed will be great, and your offspring like the plants of the earth.
You will also be sure that you will have many children; your descendants will be like the grass of the earth.
26 You will come to your last resting-place in full strength, as the grain is taken up to the crushing-floor in its time.
You will live to a ripe old age like a sheaf of grain when it is harvested.
27 See, we have made search with care, and it is so; it has come to our ears; see that you take note of it for yourself.
Look, we've examined it, and it's true! Listen to what I'm saying and apply it to yourself!”
